Devon County Council Social Services Policy

EDM number 631 in 1999-00, proposed by Patrick Nicholls on 11/04/2000.

That this House notes that on 14th January 2000 the Director of Social Services of Devon County Council reported to the council that the projected deficit of his Department at the end of the financial year 1999-2000 was in the region of ú4.5 million and drew attention to the fact that in spite of county council budget reductions the social services budget deficit for the current year could increase to ú9 million if people currently using services continued to do so; notes further that this situation arises as a direct result of the financial incompetence and administrative inability of Devon County Council in that it failed to address the projected deficit other than by withdrawing or restricting support facilities to the most vulnerable, elderly and handicapped people in the county; notes further that the council has failed to provide community support as laid down in the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990; regretfully concludes that the Social Services Department has failed to discharge its statutory duty; and calls upon Devon County Council to review its spending on social services in light of the increased budget for the current financial year to ú495 million.

This motion has been signed by a total of 5 MPs.